Note: The DearEsq free 'ask a lawyer' site is offered as a free informational service to the public and is not intended as legal advice. Laws vary from state-to-state, and in addition every situation is unique, and relevant facts may not be known. The answer to the question posed below may not apply to in your state or to your situation. For legal advice in your state and your situation you should consult with an attorney in your state who is familiar with the rules and laws in your state.
“I need some help from someone. Please put me in contact with someone who will do something in my case. I have two adult children that I pay child support to. one is 22 the other is 19. the oldest graduated high school at the age of 20 the other is still in high school and looks like he will not graduate till he is 20 all so I have several issues that need answers. First is why do these boys need to wait till they are 20 to graduate ? I understand they cannot be in wash. schools if they are 21 . Most kids graduate in their 18 year. Why do both boys need to go beyond this. I understand wash. state pays schools depending on enrollment records so I can see why the school dist turns a blind eye.
I have contacted the Wenatchee school district to get answers but they say because of their ages they have privacy rights. The court order says I have the right to any and all records weather it is school, doctor or otherwise. Do I have legal rights or not. I have not had any contact with my boys or the mother since 1997 at which time the court said I was not a good dad and needed counseling first because I started a child custidy case in which they ruled in favor of the mother thru a guardian attlitem which saw me and my boys for less than an hour. By a shrink that was a woman that was not married and had no children of her own and against the testimony on my side which was from the school counselor, a family counselor which had seen us regularly for over a year, and a paster which had a history of our family for 8 years and is a double masters degree in psychology. Wait it gets better,So since that court hearing I have no contact cause It was stated that I was the cause of some mental issues with the boys. Since that time I would have thought they would excel in school but come to find out they are both going to turn 20 before they graduate.
I can also tell you I believe I was conned by last lawyer. I state this cause He sent a letter stating he was no longer going to represent me . How can this be done when I paid and he accepted a retainer from me. I noticed in current child modification he let the previous decree which said that I would pay child support until they graduate high school but not beyond the age of 18 whichever comes last. And instead of the child support being figured for each child individually it was for both.
So you now have the jist of my case, I need some answeres or point me to someone who can. To me I am having my wages extorted by wash.state who at no point in time has made the mother accountable to the well being of the children.
All I have heard the state cry is they are doing what is in the best interest of the child. They just did not point it out that Washington state is the child that I need to support that child and not my own children.
Is there anything legally I can do on any of this or do I just have to keep getting my wages garnished and me to live paycheck to paycheck.
Who is Washington state accountable to for this. You know I moved to oregon state cause I was not about to pay child support and my taxes too to a corrupt state.”The general rule is that child support in Washington State continues until a child reaches the age of majority, 18. The duration of support can be extended as long as the child continues in educational pursuits up until the age of 23 (RCW 26.19.090). For special needs children this amount can go on even longer. There are some requirements that the children must fufill, in order to continue receiving support, and maybe you can talk to a Washington attorney about that.
Question: Your agreement with your attorney likely specified conditions under which he could cease his representation of you. If your attorney has not gotten you relief to which you are entitled, you may have recourse against him. However, based on Washington law, it appears that your children are not beyond the age that they can still get support from you. Some support orders will have a child by child breakdown, but others will not. You can go back through the Division of Child Support to get the order modified to reflect the payment amounts for each child. There is a handy support calculator on the DSHS DCS website. http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/dcs/Wage garnishment is specified in the Washington Code as a way to get support payments for children. Getting support that way is legal despite your personal feelings about the state of Washington. It is likely you will have no recourse against the state for any wrongs you feel they have perpetrated against you.
Answer:
Child support is a reality. While some states would have stopped support at 19 (like California), Washington is not one of those places.
